Colourful Pride

Since my first days in the Netherlands, I couldn't wrap my head around the sight of men wearing brightly coloured pants. They are everywhere: riding bikes, sitting on grass eating lunch and parading down the streets. The first time I saw an older gent proudly wearing a bright purple sweater and red trousers, I thought he certainly wanted to make a statement.

It's important to state that this phenomenon is not limited to blood-coloured varieties. Dutch people have been known to like all citrus flavoured pants too. You always find some long-legged man taking their orange, yellow, peach (or even pink!) counterparts for a stroll in the lowlands. It seems to me a true cultural characteristic.Of course there is nothing technically wrong with red or orange pants. However, I can't lie...it was really odd at first sight. Especially because in Brazil there is still a traditional prejudice about men who wear clothes which are not black, blue or white. Men who go around in this kind of apparel are considered gay and it is even seen as impolite. But my naivety and old-fashioned thoughts are to be forever lost.To tell the truth, I joined in this 'fever' too. After all, I realized that it is nice way to show your mood and bring more brightness and happiness to daily life. It was the first Dutch curiosity that made me scratch my head and wonder 'what the heck is going on in this country?' Guilherme Amorim Franchi, Brazilian MSc student of Animal Sciences at Wageningen University Do you have a nice anecdote about your experience of going Dutch? Send it in! Describe an encounter with Dutch culture in detail and comment on it briefly. 300 words max. Send it to resource@wur.nl and earn fifty euro and Dutch candy.